TABUK: Saudi Arabia rejected a request to permit Israeli rescue flights to collect passengers from a diverted flydubai aircraft, two security sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
Israel wanted to send military aircraft. Its air force was preparing Super Hercules transport planes for the operation, according to one source.
However, Saudi Arabia’s government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the co-pilot stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the Dubai–Tel Aviv aircraft.
Passengers then restrained the co-pilot while other pilots took control and landed safely in Saudi Arabia, he said. Flydubai indicated that passengers would continue their journey aboard its own aircraft.
Read: Israel Eyes Expanded Ties with Islamic Nations Through Abraham Accords
Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic relations with Israel. President Donald Trump of the United States has been pressing the kingdom to join the Abraham Accords.
Read: Israel discusses Saudi Arabia peace with US
Which established ties between Israel and several Arab states. But Riyadh has long demanded a pathway towards Palestinian statehood before joining.
Separately, a senior Saudi official denied reports on Wednesday of a meeting between Saudi and Israeli officials during Netanyahu’s recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.
The co-pilot of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to crash the plane after stabbing the pilot, but passengers then held him down while other pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
